FATHER WITH COCAINE-FUELED EPILEPTIC FIT CAUSES SON'S DEATH AND IS JAILED FOR 10 YEARS
Daniel Burba, aged 31, has been sentenced to a lengthy imprisonment after being convicted of causing the death of his teenage son, Ryan Morgan, aged 14, during a dangerous driving incident.Burba was driving his wife's Peugeot van when he experienced a cocaine-fueled epileptic fit, which caused the vehicle to lose control and swerve off the M6 motorway near Lancaster.
During the incident, Burba was found to be four times over the legal limit for drugs, as blood tests confirmed, and a small bag of cocaine was discovered in his wallet.
Court proceedings revealed that Burba had been advised by his doctor over a decade ago to cease taking cocaine following a seizure, and was also explicitly told not to drive.
Despite this, he drove on the motorway with his stepson as a passenger, driving erratically with hazard lights on.
Witnesses described his behavior as dangerous, with one noting that the front seat passenger appeared scared and attempted to steer the vehicle while Burba was slumped over the wheel.
The vehicle struck the central reservation, crossed the carriageway, mounted a grass bank, and ultimately hit a tree.
Ryan Morgan, the deceased, suffered fatal head injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene, having reportedly been trying to regain control of the van moments before the crash.
The court also found that Burba was only lightly injured and was taken to hospital with minor injuries.
Legal action included causing death by dangerous driving, driving without a license, and without insurance.
Burba was sentenced to ten years in prison and was banned from driving for over 14 years.
The judge emphasized that Burba’s decision to drive under the influence was highly reckless and endangering others, especially his son.
His actions were described as ‘disgusting’ by Ryan’s mother, Kim, who expressed that her son ‘would have changed the world’ and ‘made everyone smile.’ The court proceedings underscored Burba’s prior warnings from medical professionals, marking his failure to heed advice and the tragic outcome of his negligence.
